Legal Terminology and Equivalence in Arabic

How legal terminology and equivalence function in Arabic–English translation.

LEGAL TRANSLATION

By: Yousif Nadher Ibrahim

8/3/20261 min read

This article examines legal terminology and equivalence in Arabic–English legal translation, with particular attention to Nida’s theory of formal and dynamic equivalence and its relevance to legal contexts.

It explores different degrees of legal equivalence, including full, partial, and non-equivalence, through system-bound Arabic and English legal terms. The discussion also addresses Latin and archaic terminology, polysemy, false equivalence, and the influence of genre and jurisdiction on terminological choices.

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